Sunny Disposition
by onekisstotakewithmex
Summary: Kate and Gibbs get caught in a storm when trekking back to the truck, and it does nothing to improve either's mood. They'd just gotten to the point where they could ignore their chemistry, but being caught in the rain ignites more sparks than expected. Kibbs, set sometime during season 2 I suppose. This is for itbloomedforyourlittlegirl, who got caught in the rain and inspired this


"Why can't murderers ever pick places that are closer to the road?" Kate muttered, as Gibbs marched on ahead.

"Because, Agent Todd, when do murderers ever do anythin' to be nice to us? We're tryin' to catch them."

"Maybe so," Kate said, eyeing the ominous clouds rolling in, the wind whipping her hair around her face. "But they could at least pick better weather to dump their bodies."

"What's wrong, Kate?" he asked, turning around to face her so that she nearly stumbled into him. "Worried about gettin' a little wet?"

"No!" At his stern glance, she sighed. "Maybe. Oh c'mon Gibbs, you're already cranky enough, I don't think getting drenched will greatly improve your sunny disposition!"

"I always have a sunny disposition, Agent Todd." He grinned.

"Oh right," she muttered to herself as he turned back around, with his bags of evidence. "I'm sure the three ex-wives thought so too."

"What was that, Agent Todd?"

"Nothing, Agent Gibbs." She sighed, looking up at the dark clouds looming overhead, ready to burst with rain at any second. With every passing minute, the sky was getting darker, and she knew that there was no way they would make it back to the truck before the skies cracked open and drenched them both.

She hurried and finally caught up to him, though his steps were hurried and impatient compared to hers, only for him to turn and give her one of those smiles that made her forget – even for just a moment – that he was a bastard and her boss to boot. "What, Katie, you're not worried, are ya?" he asked, stopping in his tracks.

"I just… didn't feel like getting wet today," she said, driven to distraction by the combination of his bright blue eyes staring into hers, and the fact that he'd used that stupid nickname, the way he always did, just to rile her up.

He smirked. "Is that right?"

She blushed, realizing what she'd said. "That came out wrong. I really meant-,"

"No, I get it Kate. Don't wanna get wet, even though if it pours, we're gettin' wet together."

Her mouth dropped open, as he grinned at her. He knew damn well what he was saying. She just rolled her eyes, before charging on ahead. He walked along beside her. "Let's go. I have better things to do today than get wet."

"What Katie, gotta hot date?"

" _No,_ Gibbs, I don't. Unless you count eating ice cream and watching TV as a hot date."

"Pumpkin?" he asked, and she snorted in response.

" _Ha._ Very funny, Agent Gibbs."

"Aw c'mon Agent Todd, not all the memories from the _Philadelphia_ were bad, right?" he turned to ask.

Taken by surprise, a blush spread across her cheeks. _No,_ not _all_ memories had been bad. But the good ones had been locked away in the vault of memory, to be treasured late at night when she couldn't sleep. She'd mostly gotten her crush under control, thanks to a combination of Gibbs' rules, and his promise that he would fire her if she had a relationship with a co-worker.

But damn him, he kept flirting with her, probably didn't even realize he was doing it. Was it common to struggle with the thought of something unattainable? Or did the two of them really just enjoy torturing themselves?

"Kate?" he asked, and she blinked, realizing she'd been staring at him.

"Let's go," she said. "Do you really want to be stranded out here without coffee?"

"That would be a problem," he agreed. "How much farther?"

"At least another mile," she said with a sigh.

"Well, consider it a consolation prize. Ya missed your run this mornin', so now ya get to walk back to the truck."

"How do you know I missed my run?" she asked, and felt him pause.

"I… Y'know Katie, I got ya outta bed at the crack of dawn, I just figured-,"

"Well, you're right. How about you bark at me like a drill sergeant and I'll run, and we'll call it even?"

"I do not _bark_ ," he retorted, insulted.

"More of that sunny disposition, Mr. Gloomy Gus?"

"Well, Katie, why do I need to be Mr. Sunshine, when I've got you?"

She grinned. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs, was that a compliment?"

"No."

"No?"

" _No,_ " he insisted, and she grinned at him, noticing that he seemed almost… embarrassed.

"Oh Gibbs, you're so cute." It was precisely the wrong thing to say.

"I'm not _cute,_ Kate," he replied gruffly. ""M not a _puppy._ "

"Oh, you're not cute? Well, Gibbs, what do you define as _cute_?" she asked innocently.

He turned and smiled at her, a dazzling smile that nearly had her throwing caution to the wind. "You," he said simply, and then turned to walk away again.

She gritted her teeth frustrated. Why did he have to make it so hard? She had already accepted that nothing would ever progress beyond what they were. She should have been satisfied to have a good professional relationship, should be grateful that he even considered her a friend. And he was too much of a gentleman, too used to being her boss, to ever let a touch linger or to unnecessarily shower her with praise. But the way he spoke to her sometimes, the way he held her gaze just long enough to make her blush… he was the worst person in the whole office to have a crush on. And they had done a good job of pretending that there was no chemistry, that there was nothing between them… until he went and took her breath away with a simple comment.

As if sensing her mood, the sky finally cracked open, and the rain began to pour within seconds. The trees offered very little shelter, and it didn't take very long for Kate to be completely drenched. Walking along, she got more and more miserable. Gibbs didn't notice. Maybe he was just used to being miserable.

Damn him, he was even _whistling_ out loud as he continued getting drenched too.

She sneezed, and caught his attention.

He turned to look at her, and started laughing. "What's wrong, Katie?"

"I'm wet, and not in a good way."

He walked back to her, even though they were both getting drenched. "You look like a wet little frog, Katie. I'm waitin' for ya to croak at me." He was chuckling, even as he tipped her hat back. She flinched as the water dripped onto her face. "Ya look pretty miserable."

"I'm fine, Gibbs."

"Really?" he asked. "I thought it was _my_ job to be a Gloomy Gus, not yours."

She lost her patience. "And what reason do _I_ have to smile, Gibbs? When I'm soaking wet and shivering from the cold, and out of patience with you! Why should I smile?"

"Well, Katie, I can give ya a reason," he offered with a smile, before cupping her face in his hand, and grinning as his blue eyes met her brown ones and he leaned in ever so slowly, before kissing her. And just for a second, she was able to forget the miserable surroundings, the rain dripping down the back of her jacket, and allowed herself to melt into the kiss. It warmed her inside, and she felt a good deal of her sunny disposition return.

Goddamn it, he was infuriating and a bastard, but damn did he know how to kiss a woman.

She pulled away, "Wow," she said, still staring up at him in awe, before regaining some of her self-control.

"Katie, I ever tell ya that you're the reason I smile?" he asked.

"Oh?" she asked, trying to recover from the kiss, and get some of her own back, "Do you mean that I make you happy?"

"Yeah, Katie. Exactly."

"Oh." Her blush was back, and she curled up in his arms, clearly surprising him. "Okay."

"C'mon, I remember a barn a little ways up the path. I don't think it's stoppin' any time soon." He pulled away from her, clearly as reluctant as she was to allow the warmth between them to dispel in the chilly rain.

"Well," she said, taking his hand as they started walking. "I think I can think of something to do while we wait for the rain to stop." She sneezed again, which killed a bit of the romance.

He grinned. "It's a good idea to get ya outta those wet clothes, Agent Todd. Don't want ya catchin' a cold."

"I think I'll warm up nicely," she said lightly, offering him a smile.

"Ah, the sunshine is back."

"It's still pouring, Gibbs."

"Oh I didn't mean the weather, Katie. I meant you."

She glowed at the compliment, as the barn came in sight. She felt that somehow, even with the things left unsaid, they might make it work. But for now… she would settle for this.

And eventually the storms would clear.


End file.
